CHALLENGE ACCEPETED

AFTER A THREE-YEAR LAY-OFF, THE FULL FIVE-DAY DRAG CHALLENGE FINALLY RETURNED, WITH NEARLY 140 ENTRANTS SUBJECTING THEIR CARS TO THE ULTIMATE DRAG-AND-DRIVE ODYSSEY

YES, it finally happened. After more than two years of delays thanks to COVID and massive Victorian flooding, Drag Challenge 2022-23 finally kicked off on Monday 30 January. Some 139 entrants rolled through Heathcote Park Raceway on scrutineering day, locking up their transport vehicles, hooking on trailers and stickering up their cars in readiness for a week of drag-anddrive glory.

The more-than-three-year gap between our last five-day DC event meant there were plenty of newbies (both people and cars) turning out, alongside a strong roster of seasoned veterans hoping to take home the choccies.

Big contenders included DC 2019 champion Harry Haig and the Haulass Garage boys, back in the mighty POP666 HQ following a more relaxed Drag Challenge Weekend ’22 campaign in their HG; and Luke Foley, hungry for a maiden win in his seven-second VH Commodore. Dan Szabolics, who holds the record for the quickest and fastest DC pass, was also back for another go in his incredible HQ Monaro, while Robert Giangrave’s twin-turbo big-block XR ute rolled up in suitably large fashion aboard a huge excavator trailer towed by a tip truck!

DAY ONE

HEATHCOTE PARK RACEWAY 

CENTRAL Victoria switched on the summer charm for Day One of racing at Heathcote Park, with eight classes ranging from the big tyre and slick-wearing GJ Drivelines Outlaw Aspirated and Turbosmart Outlaw Blown categories to the bumper Vibrant Performance Dial Your Own pack. The first pass was made by John Ricca’s eight-second Lamborghini Huracan and Bruce Christian’s Chev-powered FJ40 Land Cruiser in an awesome show of race-car diversity.